Overview of the 'Verse
The information in these sections has been copied, in the most part, without permission from Serenity: Role Playing Game by Margaret Weiss Productions. Please do not copy this page, nor distribute in any fashion.
Central Planets :: Ariel, Bernadette, Londinium, Osiris, Sihnon
The central planets are a wonderland of peace and technology. All citizens have enough to eat. They work in glistening skyscrapers and live in high-rise apartment buildings. The grass is green and the skies are clear and no one wants for anything. That's if you believe the Alliance propaganda machine.
To be fair, the propaganda is mostly true. Even the poor who live on the Core worlds rarely want for shelter or food. Still, contrary to what the Alliance might want everyone to think, not everyone on the core worlds is well-to-do. Those who aren't wealthy don't find life much better than those living out on the rim. They may be better schooled, and their work might not involve dirt collecting beneath their fingernails, but there are plenty of folk who don't much like their lot in life.
Trapped in repetitive, unimaginative jobs, viewing nothing but the four low walls of a cube all day, they have the watchful eye of the alliance on them at every turn. There is so much surveillance on a Core world "to prevent crime and ensure the safety of citizens" that almost everything a person does is recorded on a monitor somewhere.
The authorities will tell you that crime is almost non-existent on the Central Planets, since their scanners are almost everywhere. Still, folk being folk there are some who manage to find a way to poke the alliance in its electronic eye now and then.
Most folk on the Core worlds are content. They lead comfortable lives, with time and leisure to spend with their families. Their children all have access to the best quality education and health care. They have found the peaceful, prosperous existence that mankind has been seeking since we left the Garden of Eden. If they have to trade away some of their freedom to get this, they would tell you it was worth it.
These are the same folk who can't understand why other folk on the outer worlds fought so hard against it.
Ariel
Like the rest of the Core worlds, Ariel is a paradise of technology. Tall buildings constructed of gleaming glass and steel reach into the sky. Holographic billboards advertise all manner of wonders. The night is filled with Light. The day with the hustle and bustle of business.
Ariel is know around the Central Planets for its excellent medical facilities. The technology in Ariel's hospitals is the best in the 'Verse, and the physicians who practice there are considered to be the Medical Elect.
The restaurants on Ariel are so good that folk travel here from other worlds just to have dinner. All the famous chefs come from Ariel or go to Ariel to open their own restaurants. It is said that even the hot dog vendors on Ariel are gourmet.
As with most planets in the Core, Ariel is a restricted landing zone. Only those with legitimate business (such as bringing in a Companion for a yearly check up) are allowed to lan, though, in most cases, if you look like you belong on a Core world, no one asks too many questions.
Bernadette
After the initial colonization of Londinium and Sihnon, Bernadette was the first planet to be terraformed and settled by humanity. The only remaining ship that brought the folk who made the Exodus stands in the capital city of New Paris as a monument to their courage. The ark is a monstrous starship, at least five times the size of an Alliance cruiser. Inside there is a museum containing information about the journey, and also information on the cultures and history of Earth-That-Was. The great ark is named Prometheus, after the legendary god who gave man fire.
Bernadette is a traditional launching point for those leaving to settle on other worlds. Settlers arrive here from other planets on the Rim. Many businesses cater to these settlers, selling tools and supplies.
Best watch your step here. There is an underground slave-trade on Bernadette. Settlers are captured and hauled off to work on terraforming stations. The slavers are smart enough to leave locals alone. They figure outsiders won't be missed.
Bernadette is also home to many churches and religious groups. Buddhists and Christians rub shoulders with Islamic clerics and Hindu fakirs. In addition, the planet is home to a number of fringe cults and fanatical devotees.
Bernadette is a restricted landing zone. However, if you claim to be a settler, have legit Alliance-sanctioned business, or you have a group of kiddies on board for a field trip to see the ark, you are usually welcome.
Londinium
Of all the planets, Londinium is the most like Earth-That-Was and was therefore one of the first two planets to be settled, since it needed little work to make it ready for human habitation. Most of the original colonists from the European and American continents came to Londinium, where they honored their roots by combining old tradition with new technology. All the buildings are constructed of the most modern material, but they look as if they were built of stone and are of archaic design. The general look of the cities is what book-smart folk call the "imperial Gothic" style of London from Earth-that-Was. It may not look so shiny to those from the Rim, but it still makes the place popular with looky-loos and picture-snappers.
The Parliament building and government complex that surrounds it are the most impressive sights on the planet. As big as a small city, the Parliament building contains the great debating chamber ("The House"), while the surrounding building complex provides offices for all the ministers and civil servants. It also features a huge clock tower that has become the planet's symbol. Seems like almost everyone on Londinium works for the government or for businesses who deal with the government.
Government is not the only business of Londinium, however. The planet is also home to some of the greatest collections of western art in the system. The Londinium Museum, which contains the Museum of History, and the Museum of Art, is a splendid building that holds all manner of treasures. Most come from the early days of colonization, but the most valuable pieces are the ancient artifacts from Earth-that-Was.
As the center of Alliance control, Londinium has a strong military presence. The Alliance flagship, Victoria, patrols its space. The planet is home to the elite Special Alliance Support(SAS) troops. The Ministry of Intelligence also has its headquarters here.
Londinium is heavily restricted with "no fly" zones above and around government buildings. Any ship venturing near these areas is shot down, no warning given. Tourists arrive on Londinium via authorized shuttles that travel to and from other Core worlds. Tourists may visit only those areas that are approved. Anyone caught venturing outside the approved areas without proper ID is immediately arrested.
Osiris
Osiris is the heart of the Alliance's judicial branch. Here the High court hears important cases. Their decision affects the interpretation of parliamentary law with repercussions throughout the system. The Court is housed in a large pyramid-shaped building (honoring the Egyptian god of the Dead for whom the world was named) in Capital City. The most important law firms are also based here, linked to their branch offices on other worlds by the Cortex. The University of Osiris boasts the most prestigious law school in the core, as well as a fine medical school.
The corporate offices of the blue Sun Corporation are also on Osiris. Originally on Sihnon, they were recently moved into a massive structure that is attached to a combined manufacturing plant, distribution center and space dock. The corporation complex is off-limits to everyone except employees. No one enters, even on business without first undergoing a thorough background check. The very latest in security systems makes this complex high impossible to break into.
Landing on Osiris is restricted, though not as heavily as some planets (just so long as you don't go near blue Sun). If you claim you need to see your lawyer, you'll usually be permitted to set down. University students and their parents are always welcome.
Sihnon
The world of Sihnon is known for its beauty. Words alone won't do the great city itself justice. At night, it is said to be an ocean of light.
Sihnon is the heart of the Buddhist religion, a fact made obvious by the many monasteries and temples located here. Those seeking to learn more about Buddhism travel here to study.
Sihnon is also the central hub for the guild system. The Companion's Guild is based here, with multiple Chapter Houses in the large cities, and a massive temple dedicated to the schooling of young girls and boys.
All other guilds have headquarters on Sihnon or maintain a large presence here. Guild business takes place behind closed doors. Disputes are handled by registered arbitration houses. The city of Chang'Pei is given over completely to trade administration, making it the largest civil bureaucracy in the 'Verse.
The penalties for bribers, taking or giving, are harsh, but that doesn't stop some folk. Officers of the Sihnon Trade Commission work undercover to root out the worst offenders. The officers know that they can not stop the corruption completely, but they work tirelessly to see that it doesn't get out of hand. These folk take their jobs seriously. They are well trained in combat and interrogation procedures, as well as espionage and accounting.
The capital of Sihnon is Lu'Weng. Local legend maintains that Lu'Weng was once a fire-breathing dragon that fell from the sky and was bound to the planet with silken ribbons. The numbers of hot springs here seem to bear this myth out, and every home traditionally has a silken awning or a curtain across the door to keep the dragon bound. "Lu'Weng (the city) is one of the largest producers of silk in the system. Raw silk is farmed all over the planet and then sent to Lu'Weng, where it is refined an bolted or made into beautiful clothing that never falls out of favor with the rich throughout the system.
Landing on Sihnon is restricted, though there is so much traffic coming and going on this busy world that the government issues passes to those who come here on a frequent basis. Such passes aren't hard to get, nor are they hard to forge.
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